SEAT Ibiza - best first cars for new drivers
The SEAT Ibiza offers the practicality of Volkswagen Polo, but in a more youthful guise
The SEAT Ibiza has long been popular in the Auto Express office. It is based on a lightweight, hi-tech platform available solely as a five-door. Similar to its larger sibling - the Leon - the Ibiza has grown up to provide a quiet and comfortable ride, but it's still sporty to drive.
As it is built on the Volkswagen MQB A0 platform, it gets a raft of safety, connectivity and luxury tech which is relatively new to this sector. Included is pedestrian detection with auto braking, adaptive cruise control and wireless charging for mobiles. Even Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is included from the entry SE model.
The cabin is spacious, meaning it is more than capable of transporting a car full of adults, or if you are a student, your entire life when you move out in the summer. Also, the Ibiza lives up to its sporty looks and offers motorists a relatively rewarding drive.
The performance from the little three-cylinder engines is good, but it won’t make much noise until pushed hard. The 1.0-litre TSI unit also found in the VW Polo and up! can reach 53.3mpg on a combined cycle, comfortably beating the 48.7mpg the 79bhp 1.0-litre MPI can muster. Top 10 best first cars for new drivers 2019
